How to recycle your business waste

Introduction

Guide

Responsible businesses use the most environmentally friendly ways to dispose of their unwanted materials. One option is to recycle waste. Specialist recycling services can collect all sorts of everyday recyclable materials, including paper, plastic, metal and electronic equipment.

The benefits of recycling are both environmental and financial:

  • it can save energy, reduce air and water pollution and greenhouse gases, and help conserve natural resources
  • making goods from recycled materials uses fewer resources and less energy than making them from scratch
  • it can save your business money as it reduces costs associated with waste collection, transport and disposal
  • most business waste is currently disposed of in landfill sites, which can be expensive because of associated taxes

This guide describes the opportunities available for businesses in Northern Ireland to recycle their waste and highlights the issues you will need to consider. It explores business recycling options and will help you to assess the costs and associated benefits to your business.

Get a free sustainability report

All Northern Ireland businesses with an annual energy and resource spend of more than £30k can get a free assessment of their environmental performance across areas such as raw materials, energy, carbon, packaging, biodiversity and waste - find out more about Invest NI Sustainability Reports.